Uniting Farmers for Growth: Insights into Associative Marketing.
Discover the enriching journey of 13 farmer organizations from Jamaica, Belize, Guyana, Grenada, and St. Lucia, as they convened in Colombia for an immersive learning experience under the I FO4ACP Regional Learning Route.
Unveiling Best Practices: The Journey Begins
Under the umbrella of the Farmers Organizations for African, Caribbean, and Pacific (FO4ACP) program, powered by the International Fund of Agricultural Development and the European Union, this regional route provided an up-close encounter with exemplary agricultural enterprises. These ventures showcased robust associative approaches and their pivotal roles within local value chains.
Experiencing Success: Insights and Collaborations
Participants delved into diverse cases, visiting successful ventures like ASLUBEL, Cuchilla de San Juan’s coffee producers, Apia’s Avocado Producers Association, and more. They explored innovative strategies and forged institutional partnerships, amplifying the quality of life for farmers.
Voices from the Route: Sharing Wisdom
Althia Giles, representing Pomeron Exporters and Producers Association, hailed the Route’s impact: “Putting farmers together to share their triumphs over shared challenges helps our organizations evolve.”
Diego Echeverry, president of ASLUBEL, emphasized the importance of transmitting their success journey to fellow farmers, highlighting stages of productivity, commercial processes, and the need to integrate youth into agricultural organizations.
The Essence of Transformation: Embracing Innovation
Incorporating technology and fostering youth involvement emerged as pivotal strategies. Juan Moreno, president of Procasur Corporation, stressed the value of these exchanges, facilitating shared experiences and lessons learned.
Paving the Path Ahead: Collective Innovation
The journey culminated in the collective development of innovation plans. Representatives amalgamated their learnings from Colombian agricultural experiences to fortify business management, service delivery, and market access back in their home countries.
Empowering Change: Reimagining Agriculture
Carmen Nurse, president of the Caribbean Network of Rural Women Producers, expressed how the Route reshaped their perspective on agriculture, advocating for organized women’s inclusion as a priority.
The Road Forward: Strengthening Capacities
Simon Cuthbert of New Era Farmers Benevolent Society emphasized the commitment, persistence, and shared vision essential for organizational success.
Catalyzing Growth: Towards a Vibrant Future
As a sequel, FAO and Procasur Corporation are set to extend technical and financial support to implement innovation plans. This paves the way for strengthened Farmers’ Organizations, enhancing services and amplifying their role in value chains.
